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Date:
Saturday, August 30, 2008
My wife works in the airline industry & we fortunately can travel pretty much anywhere we want. We love to find new places & rarely come back to the same destination a second time. We just made our third trip to St George's Caye Resort.
Why 3 times when we could go anywhere in the world? First, it's close enough and easy enough to get to, only a 20 minute boat ride from the main land, but remote enough that we're away from any typical "tourist" activity. The diving is fantastic, some of the best we've ever experienced. The chef and food are is tremendous. The spa, massages, etc. were a great new addition as is the swimming pool.
One of our favorite activities is the BBQ at the sand bar (see photo). Out in the middle of the ocean is a shallow sand bar. They bring out a BBQ and prepare your lunch. It's an experience all in itself.
The trips to the mainland include Cave Tubing, visits to Mayan ruins, Zip Lining and more.
If you want to relax, be pampered & have adventure GO!
R Whitaker
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USA
Date:
Saturday, September 27, 2008
I always stay at Capt. Don's and have come to know the staff as friends. I think they have the best location on the island for off-the-dock diving and I love the "diving freedom" concept.
A Laramie
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USA
Date:
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I have stayed here over and over again. The hotel is wonderful. Very clean, great rooms, great service, good food. The hotel is located on the north end, just 5 mintues fromt the airport. Dive shop on property will take you to the reefs. No good shore diving in front of hotel so you will need to boat dive. Two pools, one is quiet and one is active and has a swim up bar. This hotel is under constant maintence to keep it fresh and clean. Menu and buffet available for food choices, also pool grill for fast food. I love staying here!
D Darcy
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TX
Date:
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I took a group to Fantasy Island 10 years ago and was unhappy with it. Since then, I've taken groups to different resorts in Roatan 5 other times.
When Maduro Dive Fanta-Seas found me a special low price, I decided to return to Fantasy Island without a group, but with my daughter, and give it another try. I was very pleased with the improvements they have made. They make a great effort to keep the insects down, particularly the no-see-ums, which are bad overall on the island. They continuously spray, rake and drag a plow over the sand to disturb the eggs. I quit using repellant after 3 days and had only 4 insect bites the whole week. An optional shark dive offered through another outfit, but coordinated with F.I., was a huge success. There were a good 2 dozen grey reef sharks within touching distance, making for great photo ops. Good food was served buffet-style. Clean, motel-style rooms with air conditioning and TV made for a comfortable stay. Would I return?....You bet!
R Dunton
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CA
Date:
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Hotel Cozumel and Dive Paradise were gracious hosts. The divemasters, Jose & Martin from Renagado were the best! we did 21 dives during the week, including 2 cenote dives on the mainland, and three night dives right off the dock. Turtles, nurse sharks, splendid toadfish, and morays were in abundance. We highly recommend this dive vacation. P.S.- get the all-inclusive at Hotel Cozumel.
G Ouellette
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MA
Date:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
We had a wonderful time on vacation in Anthony’s Key Resort. The room was perfect- quaint, private and not the ordinary hotel room. My only issue in it was the lack of light to read by at night- otherwise just fine. The staff at the resort were the friendliest bunch I have ever met. Every one was happy, helpful and so pleasant. I fell in love with the place instantly. And the food was delicious!!
The dive boat operations were professional and well run. We loved the fact that we were on the same boat each dive with the same dive master, captain, and guests. By the end of the week we were all well acquainted and like one big happy family. I have never had that experience on a vacation before. The dives were all great. Beautiful corals and sponges, lot of sea turtles and eels. Surprisingly though, not that many fish. We were even greeted by a curious pod of bottlenose dolphins (yes wild, not the captive ones at the resort) on one of our dives. That made everyone’s week!
L St. Aubin
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USA
Date:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Anthony Keys Resort was the best all inclusive resort I’ve been at.
The service at the hotel was excellent. My room was the standard room which was fine in December but in the summer I’d highly recommend a room with air conditioning.
The horse back riding, fire dancing, boat charters and diving was fantastic. Underwater we saw tons of coral, sponges, turtles, a seven inch yellow seahorse and wild dolphins during one dive.
Water temps in low 80s with over 100 ft visibility.
Great diving with multiple shallow and deep reefs, swim throughs, and two wrecks.
D Greenhalgh
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USA
Date:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
We just got back from our trip to the Scuba Club. We had a great time.
The arrangements were super.
We are interested in going again.
We loved the price, the scuba arrangement and the food.
Thanks,
S. Schade
S Schade
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USA
Date:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I enjoyed the diving at CoCo View; the accommodations, not so much. Our room, No. 14, looked out over the water but from a porch that was accessible to passers-by from both sides.
We therefore had to keep the doors closed and shades drawn for privacy purposes. The bathroom arrangement consisted of a shower stall to the left, a small toilet room (with a door) to the right, and a single-basin sink between them completely open to the rest of the room. When we went from the toilet to the shower, vice versa, or actually used the sink, we had no privacy whatsoever in front of the sink area. Furthermore, there were no hooks or pegs on which to hang clothing or anything else near the sink, shower or toilet. This pretty much guaranteed a detour to fetch these items from the room itself any time one of us used the shower, sink or toilet. When we first arrived, there wasn't even a chest of drawers in the room but they found one when we complained. When we asked for another room, though, they said they didn't have one. The lighting over the sink and in the toilet room were bare bulbs, which only added to dismal, dormitory-like atmosphere.
The only reason we would return at all would be the diving, which was excellent. Equipment was handled for us by the crew. The dive guides were great, showing us spotted drum, cleaner shrimp, moray eels, sea horses, toadfish, squid, an eagle ray and crabs by day; and, octopi, crabs, and lobster by night. My dive buddy and I were the only divers on their Thursday, January 1, 2009, morning dive trip. Some operations would have cancelled the trip. They took us cheerfully.
J Acton
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USA
Date:
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Hotel Cozumel and Dive Paradise were gracious hosts. The divemasters, Jose & Martin from Renagado were the best! We did 21 dives during the week, including 2 cenote dives on the mainland, and three night dives right off the dock. Turtles, nurse sharks, splendid toadfish, and morays were in abundance. We highly recommend this dive vacation. P.S.- get the all-inclusive at Hotel Cozumel.
G Ouellette
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USA
Date:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I have to say the accommodations were not up to my standard and the service at Captain Don's (in restaurant) left a lot to be desired. I would never want to stay in that particular bungalow again. Our bedroom was two beds pushed together to make a king sized bed with a crack down the middle with a crummy uncomfortable mattress. No microwave. A stove that you needed to use matches to light and an oven that wasn't working. Pots that were rusted on inside surface and made cooking impossible. Furniture not even comfortable for 3 people to lounge around and watch a movie. Every morning at breakfast we felt like we had to beg someone to eventually getting around to bringing us coffee. Had lunch one day and it took close to an hour to get some burgers. The restaurant is poorly managed.
The dive instructors and the entire dive experience is first class and works beautifully. And of course some of the best diving we do and we have been many places including the GBR.
J Monaco/Gordon
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USA
Date:
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
our trip was enhanced by the very professional boat crew: Neil and Sharon. all of the instructors were great, very friendly, helpful, safety conscious, and determined to make our dive trip an excellent experience for everyone. The dive sight briefings were top notch and very thorough from description of the site to the best way to dive it. The area itself is one of my favorites because of the 2 reef systems that come together at Mixing Bowl. some of the best u/w topography anywhere.
The accomodations were new and most confortable. Hopefully they have corrected the water smell by now, as that was awful!
Sausan always is very helpful, reassuring, courteous, and prompt in her replies about the trip. She is very knowledgeable about the destinations and travel routes and we appreciate her expertise! Thank you.
A Morgan
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MN
Date:
Monday, February 9, 2009
Yes, we're back....but I wish we weren't! I could have stayed for another week. We had a great time. CoCoView is a beautiful resort and staff couldn't be nicer. The weather didn't want to cooperate at first, but by Tuesday, everything was sunny and warm. Even Taca airlines wasn't as bas as I feared. The flights were on time, and our luggage arrived without any problems....something that I can't always say for US Airways, that's for sure.
All in all, I'd defintely go back.
R Savarese
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usa
Date:
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Our trip was fabulous! We came just at the right time. They were busy the week before and had two large groups coming the week after. Our last boat dive, there was just the 4 of us on the boat. We were booked to stay in one of the older cottages, but we talked them into giving us one of the newer ones, except we have to move back for the last night. The new ones are just so much nicer. We saw a little bit of everything, turtles, frogfish, seahorses, eagleray, squid, bonefish. On our last dive, especially if it was a night dive, I'd get a little chilled. But it wasn't too bad.
One week just isn't long enough, though. If we go back in the winter, we'll have to go back to our usual two weeks no matter when we go.
J Vanpelt
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usa
Date:
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Scuba Club was the best dive vacation I have ever had. The staff were so happy and helpful especially Fransisco, a waiter there. We went to Chichen Itza one day so we would not receive breakfast or lunch, Fransisco took it upon himself to make sure we had a morning and lunch meal prepared for us with the help of his supervisor, who I can't remember his name. And Miguel our divemaster was outstanding. He took us to a place called Devils Throat, an advanced deep dive of 130ft with long dark caves large Stingrays and Turtles, wow not a place I would trust going with divers I don't know. I think Miguel was very observant with the divers he took under his wing, knowing the expeirience and comfort level of each. He let me and my dive buddy pretty much do our own thing, lag behind to take pictures and such.
And as far as a pre dive speech, he would explain what to expect what we would see approximate depth and time, just very detailed with everything.
Then while under the water he new where to look to show us all the fantastic creatures in Cozumel, as well as going out of his way to help me get that perfect shot of a Turtle. Thank you very much with your help booking this trip. I will certainly be going back. Oh by the way, Rm#14 has the largest deck. When I go back I will ask for this one again.
A Kaneen
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USA
Date:
Monday, February 16, 2009
My family and I had the most wonderful vacation @ Buddy Dive. From the pick up @ the airport in the late evening to a super dive facility - all was easy and truly was a diver's delight.
This was a dream vacation to Bonaire’s Buddy Dive Resort. It could not have been any better.
D Jackson
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USA
Date:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Yes, we're back....but I wish we weren't! I could have stayed for another week. We had a great time. CoCoView is a beautiful resort and staff couldn't be nicer. The weather didn't want to cooperate at first, but by Tuesday, everything was sunny and warm. Even Taca airlines wasn't as bas as I feared. The flights were on time, and our luggage arrived without any problems....something that I can't always say for US Airways, that's for sure. All in all, I'd defintely go back.
R Savarese
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USA
Date:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Yes, we're back....but I wish we weren't! I could have stayed for another week. We had a great time. CoCoView is a beautiful resort and staff couldn't be nicer. The weather didn't want to cooperate at first, but by Tuesday, everything was sunny and warm. Even Taca airlines wasn't as bas as I feared. The flights were on time, and our luggage arrived without any problems....something that I can't always say for US Airways, that's for sure. All in all, I'd defintely go back.
R Savarese
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USA
Date:
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The dive operation was first class, period. The dive lockers were all replaced last Fall after a hurricane hit the resort and the reef was pretty wiped out at 30 feet and above. Below that, everything was fine. No complants here. If there was anything that could be improved, it's having rooms available when the early morning flights arrive. There is a KLM flight that left just as we arrived at 6:00AM, so between that and the passengers already at the airport to depart on the plane we arrived on, the resort had plenty of empty rooms. However, they do not start cleaning until the regular shift. So everyone had to struggle to live out of suitcases all day. There was no sense or urgency by anyone at the resort to help remedy the situation. We finally were able to get a room at 4:00PM. I did meet a Dutch manager later in the week that was a get-it-done person when we had very slow service in the restaurant at lunch. Unfortunately, not much has changed here in three years.
F M.
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usa
Date:
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The trip was good over all.
The diving was good, especially if you like small things. There were not very many large fish, rays, sharks, etc. We did a feed the shark dive that was very good, and a wreck dive where they fed groupers that was very good also.
The crew was great. Very friendly, knowledgeable, safe. I could not have been happier with the crew. They worked very hard to make sure we had a good time, got to the good dive sites, and had fun.
The food was good also, and plenty of it.
There were a few bad points also. The hot tub on the upper deck was not working. They only had 4 lounge chairs for the 13 passengers. The cabins were very very small. Our "bathroom" was so small all three of us hit the shower water on handle by standing up after using the toilet. We all three of us actually did it more than once. There was a leak from the crew shower that left the floor in our room soaking wet the entire trip.
The dining area only had seating for 14 people, the maximum number of passengers, which meant the crew had to wait to eat until the passengers were done. We lost the ability to chat with the crew during dinner because of this.
I understand they are getting a new boat soon, so all of the issues may be resolved with the new boat. Again, the crew was great, could not have been better.
Another nice thing. Dinner on Friday when we got back to port was not included in the package ( we knew that). The owner of the boat, also owns a hotel in Utila, and he came over and got all of us on his boat, took us to the hotel, and gave us dinner and drinks at his expense. Very nice touch.
T Torpey
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USA
Date:
Monday, March 16, 2009
Rick and I found the LCBR to be a great place. The service of the diving staff was great. The food was good and there was plenty of it. The room was perfectly adequate. We were not expecting fancy anyway. Internet service was weak. We had a fair amount of wind during the week so the seas were rough. Some days we could not get to the better dive sites on the north side of the island. Since I get seasick fairly easily, I skipped a couple of afternoon dives. All in all the diving was good. We did see a lion fish which was totally unexpected. All the transportation you arranged went off without a hitch - thank you.
M Doyle
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USA
Date:
Friday, March 20, 2009
Traveled to Bonaire to Captain Don's Habitat. All staff were very pleasant in the hotel and restaurant. Dive crews were friendly and diving was easy and relaxing. Will plan to go again in the future. Maduro Travel is very helpful in planning the trip and will definitely use this travel service in the future.
C Daugherty
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USA
Date:
Friday, April 3, 2009
We got our room 11PM. BUT, A WONDERFUL ROOM. Great location,clean,balcony with a view. Housekeeping,excellent. Breakfasts were very good,with prompt,friendly waiters. Dee and her husband,plus all who worked the front desk were extremely helpful. The dive staff(we snorkel) were accomodating and helpful to us. THE BEACH BAR AND RESTAURANT where we ate ALL of our meals wonderful....Only drawback, 2 waitresses were a bit rude at first, but something happened half way through our stay and they became warmer. Food was an 8 to 10 scale GOOD. The pool was clean and a great place to gather and spend the day. I saw 2 hawksbill turtles and 2 rays in 7 days. The house reef was a dissapointment. I snorkeled out to the Mermaid and if I saw 10 fish it was a lot. Sorry to say not much activity fish wise. We would stay again.
D Gallagher
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USA
Date:
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The trip was awesome! Little Cayman Beach Resort is wonderful. Great rooms, wonderful food, and who can complain about a beach! It was windy, but no one has control over that!
S Albern
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USA
Date:
Monday, April 20, 2009
I have enjoyed very much my trip in Curaçao. The service at Habitat was nice and helpful. The room was fine and very clean. The diving was fantastic (lot of parrot fish, trunk fish, French angel fish, spotted morays, green morays, porcupine fish, spotted drum fish, lobsters, etc… and even a beautiful eagle ray. The only problem was mosquitos (lot of them). But otherwise, great holidays.
Thank you very much for your help!
F Picard
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USA
Date:
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
So, everyone should come here once in there lifetime. What an amazing place. It is soooooooo beautiful. Hot, dry, salty, and bit of a breeze. Everything is great.
We are having a super time... I want to come back next year... Forget going somewhere new.
The diving has been good... Yesterday, we went on a long boat trip to the outer keys...Beautiful reef. Saw a turtle the size of a kitchen table. It swam right through our group of divers. Scott, is in heaven.
So, the beautiful Caribbean wind died down... Now it is hot... But the sea is calm as can be.
The Belizean people are so nice. The food is excellent, they make everything, and we have had fish three times in two days. The rooms are just like the web site. We keep the screen doors open at night and listen to the Caribbean breeze. We have gone diving Sunday and today… So far pretty good… Drift diving and the conditions are good.
M .
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